1988 LX 'Red'

[Christ]

I've had this one for a while now, bought it from someone who got it from someone else, who's handle here I can't remember now, but he lives in WV [I remember that much].

Anyway, it ate a coil last year [which was predicted by both previous owners] and when I bought it, had bad rear wheel bearings and didn't run correctly.

The carb on it is basically junk. I've had it apart like 4 or 5 times, still can't get it running properly despite having it perfectly clean on more than one occasion [this includes soaking the carb, completely disassembled, in cleaning solution in a sonic bath at least once, possibly twice.] I'm not sure what's wrong with it, but it's junk as far as I'm concerned. Someone else can toy with it if they like. I'll be selling the carb and intake together once they're off.

This is going to advance in two stages with some mixing involved.

First off, I'm gonna remove the carb and intake manifold and make a new tubular manifold to attach bike carbs. I'm going to get it running like this simply because someone on this forum at one point told me it couldn't be done, there wasnt' enough clearance, etc. I don't remember who, but they seemed sort of adamant about it, and I know for a fact I can do it, so I'm gonna. I'm gonna get it running /just/ long enough to take video of it, maybe a couple quick revs, and then I'm taking it back apart and removing the engine for the second part of the project:

I intend to install a utility engine in the car.

The only design points I need to achieve here are the ability to cruise 45MPH average and [possibly] run on diesel fuel. For now, I believe I'll be using the stock transmission, but that may change as I progress with it.

I will be doing everything I can to lighten the car within safe working limits so as not to overstress the less-than 20 HP engine I'll be using [I have a few choices thus far.]

This is the chassis I was going to do the VW diesel swap on, but I've decided against it as there's simply too much modification and work required without enough personal gain for the labor and parts hunting/swapping/sourcing necessary.

I do have a good bit of insight into both vehicles and parts compatibility/sizes if anyone else would like to attempt that swap, and I would be more than happy to assist with ideas wherever I can.

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[1chrisapple]

what you shooting for an in town 75mpg beast.what engine you using something like a yanmar diesel.

[Christ]

More or less, yes, a 60+ MPG commuter-car.

The engine I'm hoping to use is a Lombardini 18HP twin cyl diesel. I should hear about it in the next few days as the person I'm making a deal with gets to contact the person that has it.

Barring that, I can usually find 3 cylinder Kubota's that are 18HP for about $500 or less as well with 'high' hours on them. [usually about 2,000] and generally still running, but maybe in need of maintenance.

The last option is temporary, a Briggs single cylinder I/C 18HP horizontal shaft from a mower I can't find the parts needed to fix.

Generally, I want to stay in the 15-23 HP range, even though 10HP is actually enough to maintain 60 MPH in a car like this, or pretty close to it. [You'll never /hit/ 60 with 10 HP, but if you were already there, 10 should keep you there on level ground on a nice day.]

Because I'm using a utility engine with a max RPM of 3200-3600, I may need to add a primary ratio before the transmission input. I can handle that with all the available sprockets I have around.

This is, of course, provided I choose to use the transmission as part of the whole deal. It's a lot of weight that will be generally not totally necessary except for if I'm pulling a load, loading the car, or stopping on a hill, so I'll still have to think about whether or not I /really/ need it.

[1chrisapple]

so this sounds very interesting and id like to see what you end up with. hope your get the diesel. but dam would be funny if you had an 18 twin mower engine lol

[Christ]

Oh yeah... It's a Briggs 18 2 cyl... I put 'single' up there^^^

[1chrisapple]

I think id be awesome.have u saw the festy on youtube with a yanmar dieaeel he claims 60 mpg but only 45 mph but thats right where u r at to so.

[Christ]

Yep. Seen a few cars like that, including [I think] an Escort with a Robin [Subaru] utility in it that was claiming about 60 MPG using a centrifugal clutch.

[1chrisapple]

I was thinking that about a clutch.something like a snow mobile clutch

[Christ]

They take a lot of power to operate though. The CVT system on a snowmobile is like a 20% parasitic loss [I read somewhere] because of the belt, basically, and the energy required to keep the pulleys where they're supposed to be [via rotation].

If I were going to replace the OE transmission, I'd probably use like a Peerless 3 speed gearbox in place of it. 5 gears is probably more than what's necessary in such a beast, and the Peerless unit weighs like 30lbs whereas the OE transmission is probably closer to 100.

Weight is everything when you have limited power.

[1chrisapple]

So like a peerless 700 mower trans

[Christ]

The Peerless, unfortunately, is both 5 speed and unsynchronized, and designed to be shifted while the driven unit is motionless [or nearly motionless] so as to avoid damaging the gears inside.

I think, at least for now, I'm going to continue to use the OE trans unless and until I find a better option. I can handle the extra weight with one of the ideas I have in mind, because I"ll be removing about 30lb of rotating weight from the equation entirely.

I need someone to go 45 in 5th gear and record their approximate engine RPM for me. Any takers?

[1chrisapple]

id do it but no tach lol

[sketchman]

If you're talking about the stock Festiva trans, I don't think it's even close to 100lb. You can lift it with one arm pretty easily.

Can't wait to see this.

[Christ]

What do you suppose it weighs?

I'm kinda lazy. I have a spare trans but it's hooked to a motor and I don't feel like taking it off to weigh it. If it's ~60lb Id be a lot happier about leaving it in there. Gears would be nicer than direct drive.

[sketchman]

I would say close to 60lbs, yes. Maybe a bit more than that, but not much. Definitely under 70lbs.